The Belarus Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) of children and women was carried out in 2012 by the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus in cooperation with the main statistical departments of all oblasts and the city of Minsk. Financial, methodological and technical support was provided by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). MICS is an international household survey programme developed by UNICEF. The survey is conducted in the Republic of Belarus as part of the fourth global round of MICS surveys (MICS4) and provides up-to-date information on the situation of children and women and measures key indicators that allow countries to monitor progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed upon commitments. The goal of MICS4 in the Republic of Belarus is to obtain objective information on the mother and child health and child development and education. This type of survey was conducted in the republic for the second time, as Belarus was part of MICS3 in 2005-2007, and made it possible to obtain information on important aspects of the life of children, namely: their state of nutrition and health, the prevalence of child labour, the main methods of raising a child in a family and on the various activities that promote learning in early childhood. Also, due to MICS4 survey a number of indicators were studied for the first time: reproductive behaviour of women, attitude of women and men to domestic violence, sexual behaviour of young people, life satisfaction and other topical for the Republic of Belarus issues.
